Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2020 May;28(5):985-993.
doi: 10.1002/oby.22771.

Maternal Glucose Concentrations in Early Pregnancy and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Childhood

Rama J Wahab  1   2 , Ellis Voerman  1   2 , Pauline W Jansen  1   3 , Edwin H G Oei  4 , Eric A P Steegers  5 , Vincent W V Jaddoe  1   2 , Romy Gaillard  1   2
Affiliations

Maternal Glucose Concentrations in Early Pregnancy and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Childhood

Rama J Wahab et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2020 May.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the associations of maternal early-pregnancy glucose and insulin concentrations with offspring cardiometabolic risk factors and fat distribution.

Methods: In a population-based prospective cohort study among 3,737 mothers and their children, random maternal glucose and insulin concentrations were measured at a median gestational age of 13.2 (95% range 10.5-17.1) weeks. Childhood fat, blood pressure, and blood concentrations of lipids, glucose, and insulin at the age of 10 years were measured.

Results: Higher maternal early-pregnancy glucose and insulin concentrations were associated with a higher risk of childhood overweight, and higher maternal early-pregnancy insulin concentrations were associated with an increased childhood risk of clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors (all P < 0.05). These associations were explained by maternal prepregnancy BMI. Independent of maternal prepregnancy BMI, one SD score (SDS) higher maternal early-pregnancy glucose and insulin concentrations were associated with higher childhood glucose (0.08 SDS, 95% CI: 0.04-0.11) and insulin concentrations (0.07 SDS, 95% CI: 0.03-0.10), but not with childhood blood pressure, lipids, and fat measures.

Conclusions: These results suggest that maternal early-pregnancy random glucose and insulin concentrations are associated with childhood glucose and insulin concentrations but not with other childhood cardiometabolic risk factors.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declared no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the study participants.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Associations of maternal early‐pregnancy glucose and insulin concentrations and childhood risks of overweight and clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors. Values represent odds ratios (95% CI) from logistic regression models that reflect the risks of childhood overweight for SDS change in maternal glucose and insulin concentrations. aBasic model includes gestational age at enrollment and child’s age and sex at follow‐up measurements. bConfounder model includes the basic model additionally adjusted for ethnicity and maternal educational level. cMaternal BMI model includes the confounder model additionally adjusted for maternal prepregnancy BMI.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Damm P, Houshmand‐Oeregaard A, Kelstrup L, Lauenborg J, Mathiesen ER, Clausen TD. Gestational diabetes mellitus and long‐term consequences for mother and offspring: a view from Denmark. Diabetologia 2016;59:1396‐1399. - PubMed
    1. Clausen TD, Mathiesen ER, Hansen T, et al. Overweight and the metabolic syndrome in adult offspring of women with diet‐treated gestational diabetes mellitus or type 1 diabetes. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2009;94:2464‐2470. - PubMed
    1. Kawasaki M, Arata N, Miyazaki C, et al. Obesity and abnormal glucose tolerance in offspring of diabetic mothers: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. PLoS One 2018;13:e0190676. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0190676 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Lowe WL Jr, Scholtens DM, Lowe LP, et al. Association of gestational diabetes with maternal disorders of glucose metabolism and childhood adiposity. JAMA 2018;320:1005‐1016. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Patro Golab B, Santos S, Voerman E, et al. Influence of maternal obesity on the association between common pregnancy complications and risk of childhood obesity: an individual participant data meta‐analysis. Lancet Child Adolesc Health 2018;2:812‐821. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources